Landlord's Guide to Changing Locks Between Tenants

Changing locks between tenants is one of those small jobs that's easy to skip under time pressure, but worth building into every turnaround.

Why it matters

A previous tenant, their visitors, or a cleaner could all have had a key cut over the tenancy. New tenants reasonably expect to be the only ones with access.

What to change

All external doors as a minimum, plus any communal entry points if the property shares them, and any external outbuildings with their own keys.

Timing it around turnaround

Booking a locksmith as part of your standard end-of-tenancy checklist, alongside cleaning and inspection, keeps it from being forgotten under time pressure.

Documentation

Keeping a simple record of when locks were last changed can be useful for both insurance purposes and reassuring new tenants.

Working with a locksmith on multiple properties

If you manage several properties, it's worth having a locksmith you can call as a standing arrangement rather than starting from scratch each time.